


All The Lights Are Sparkling For You

by LiterallyLen



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, oblivious fools, protective Livvy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-01-16 01:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18511276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallyLen/pseuds/LiterallyLen
Summary: Ty smiles at him, and it makes Kit’s heart thud… Which makes absolutely no sense because this is all pretend. All the wanting looks, and stolen kisses, and feather light touches… This is all make believe, a means to an end until Ty has convinced his family that he’s perfectly happy and doesn’t need them— mainly Livvy— to try and pair him up with anyone. Kit’s  heart has no business getting all fluttery or excited when around Ty because this’s only going to last till the end of the wedding, and then it’s over, and him and Ty will  no longer be anything, especially not the best thing.Kit pretends he isn’t so completely devastated over that simple truthORTy asks his best friend, Kit, to pretend to be his date to Julian and Emma’s wedding so his family doesn’t try to set him up with anyone… It doesn’t exactly go to plan.





	1. How These Things Go

“So a sixteen ounce almond latte with a pump of lavender and honey?” The barista chortles, flipping her pretty ginger hair and batting her lashes.

“Precisely gorgeous,” Kit says with a smile that makes her flush. 

“Cool, that’ll be right up.”

“Brilliant!” Kit gives two quick wraps of his knuckles against the countertop before pivoting around and sliding into the seat across from Ty, pretending as if his chest doesn’t seize at the sight of his insanely intense sea glass eyes and the pedal soft curve of his cheek.

“She likes you,” he says in that stripped down way of his before taking a bite of his sub, a bit of mayo getting on his cupids bow, and thanking Kit when he passes over a napkin.

“You flatter me Tiberius,” Kit snorts before snatching the other half and eating it himself, only partially curious of how much it might look like a date from the outside, and entirely ignoring how much he wouldn’t mind if it was.

“Everyone likes you,” Ty shrugs, blasé. 

“They tell me it’s the smile.”

That makes it so Ty lets out a breathy, little laugh, and Kit can’t help but liken it to the most beautiful instrument. He’s always so proud whenever he can make it so Ty’s eyes go incandescent and there’s the slightest dimple right on the apple of his cheek, when Ty looks effortlessly beautiful and happy to be here. 

Kit knows that this sleepy Oregon town on the coast is as far away from LA— where Ty was brought up— as anything could be. He knows that Ty choosing to go here for University was a way for him to strike out on his own, apart from the huge Blackthorn clan that Kit’s only ever seen pictures of, but has been exceedingly jealous of ever since. Kit knows that Ty has never really fit into his own skin here, that if it wasn’t for Kit’s constant insistence that they spend days on days together at the start of their freshman year that Ty would’ve been perfectly content keeping to hisself for the four years he’s here until he could go back home. But still, Kit also knows that they were meant to be in each others lives, in some major capacity.

He thinks back to his mother— her pale gold hair and the twinkle in her eyes— She use to always croon that the stars were set out for us, that kismet and providence would lead us to the people we’re meant to be. Kit was a little boy then, one who was to busy making a ruckus wherever he went to spare any of his time to understanding what she meant with those sort of proclamations. Even now, so many years divorced from her death, Kit doesn’t think any of his decisions were chosen before he ever knew the options, but a small part of him does like the idea that some peoples stars were lined up in the exact right breath that they were destined to cross paths and to create an entirely knew one for just the pair of them. One that was glowing and glimmering and perfect.

Kit’s sure that Ty’s one of those people— maybe the only person save for Tessa and Jem— And if he could make Ty even slightly happier than he was, then Kit considers it a job well done.

“Order up,” the barista from before chimes as she slides across the coffee and a slice of the lemon loaf. “On the house handsome,” she winks before strutting back to her post. 

“I’ll take that,” Ty says before plucking the dessert from Kit’s non suspecting hand.

“Rude.”

“Life can be like that,” Ty just reasons before picking up his chirping phone, face grimacing at the sight of the text.

“Everything’s okay?” Kit asks, tentative.

“’s just Livvy.”

Kit can feel his face scrunch up in confusion. Every time Ty even alludes to his twin sister— a pixie sized, beautiful brunette with eyes that are a mirror of Ty’s own— he’s only ever beaming with light and glee and it’s probably the only times Kit looks at Ty and he seems totally whole. 

“Is she alright?”

“Wonderful.” Ty intones, tossing the device to the side and sinking his teeth into his bottom lip, delicate hands beginning to tap and flutter around the table in a nervous sort of tension.

Kit’s becoming even more nervous than before.

“Don’t leave me in suspense Tiberius, what’s going on?”

“Nothing… Erm ah, nothing really.” Kit levels him with his patented are you shitting me grimace. “It’s just, my older brother…”

“Mark or Julian?”

“Julian, he’s getting married.” The locomotive sized weight on Kit’s chest suddenly dissipated and he swats Ty on the forearm.

“Hey! What’s with the frown you ass! That’s great news! It’s with that pretty blonde right? Emma?”

Ty nods, still impossibly glum looking.

“Ok Tiberius, I’m really confused to the whole woe with me thing you’ve got going on right now.” 

“Livvy’s designated herself the head wedding planner.”

“Alright… and the problem?”

“I just know that Dru’s bringing her boyfriend Jamie, and Helen’s bringing her wife Aline, and of course Mark’s got his Kieran and Christina-“

“Okay man, i’m seriously not following any of this but we’re going back to the bit where Mark’s got two partners apparently? Which I personally find unfair and a bit elitist.”

Ty ignores him and just continues rattling off these names that Kit only slightly recognizes. 

“Magnus and Alec are gonna be there and like just stand around being better than everyone! And Jace and Clary! Definitely Isabell and Simon too!”

“Am I having a stroke? Ty as my best friend you’re obligated to tell me if I’m having a stroke.”

“You know this’s all just a big ploy by Livvy, right?” Ty charges, mouth curled.

“This wedding… The one between your brother Julian and his long time girlfriend Emma, is a ploy? A ploy by Livvy?” 

“She’s worried about me! She’s always worried about me! She thinks that I’m sequestering myself here, was mad when I came home over the summer and told her I hadn’t gone out with anyone all year.”

Kit spreads out his hands, very narrowly misses toppling over his drink. “Sisters am I right?… Actually am I right, I was an only child growing up and Nian has only just begun learning her shapes so I doubt she’d be much of a comparison.”

Ty’s expression goes very, very flat.

“You’re so ridiculous.”

“And you’re so serious.”

“Look, I know Livvy, okay. This’s just part of her grand plan to finally pair me up with someone!”

“A grand plan… Kit repeats, slow and confused.

“She’s worried about me, she thinks that everyone needs like a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever to be happy.”

“I see.”

“She’s gonna try and pair me up with like somebody I don’t even know for the entire wedding! Like some way worse version of a blind date. Just you watch!”

“Aren’t weddings like only a few hours?”

“Not in Blackthorn standards,” Ty bristles, begins to spin his phone with the pop socket Kit had gotten him a couple weeks ago because it had his initials and it was a cheap version of getting something actually monogrammed, which in all his dorkitude Ty actually loves to have, has got all his pencils imprinted with his first and last names, and middle initial. It’d all be infuriating if it wasn’t so cute.

“Yo man I’m sorry, but Livvy’s got your best interest at heart, you know that.”

“I know,” Ty sighs, runs a hand through his dark hair . “I just wish she didn’t feel like responsible for me all the time.”

Kit purses his lip in discomfort, suddenly feels an intense kinship with Ty’s twin whom he’s never met. He’d like to tell Ty that it’s not a feeling of responsibility but a gesture of love. She wants to make sure he’s taken care of because her heart wouldn’t feel complete if she wasn’t doing that. Kit wants to tell him it’s not because he’s a weight on her shoulders but because he’s the first person to look at him and make Kit feel like he’s being seen. The first person to touch him softly instead of automatically assuming he’s been cut from metal and steel and brimstone. The first person to have caught and effortlessly kept Kit’s attention, the only one who’s ever made it so Kit’s skin feels like it’s been lit on fire with every surreptitious glance.

Oh, erm— Ah, but that’s all completely from livvi’s hypothetic perspective, not from Kit’s. Not at all, not even slightly. 

“Mmm,” Kit clears his throat, trying to clear his head of all those sorts of thoughts, less he risk the best friendship he’s ever known. “Well Livvy obviously just wants to make sure you’re happy, I bet if you just told her that you’ve already found a date for the wedding she won’t bother to try and play matchmaker.”

Kit’s taken aback when he sees an all too familiar gleam in Ty’s gorgeous eyes and his head popping up in sudden, acute excitement.

“Yes! Brilliant! Totally! Watson you’re a genius!”

Kit can’t help but preen, feels a warmth coiling deep inside him at the sparks Ty’s quite literally radiating. 

“I’m glad you’ve finally came to the light Tiberius.”

“You’ll come then?”

“Oh, ah, what?”

“To the wedding! You’ll pretend to be my date, in a romantic sense I mean.” 

“Ahh,” Kit feels like he’s been succor punched, is especially confused to this parody of what he’s been privately wishing to hear for over a year now. “Run that by me again?”

“you’re a genius!” Ty crows, fists clenched and smile bright. “It’s not even that large of a leap! You’re the only person I tell them about and I bet if I tell her now that we’ve begun dating she wouldn’t even prod when I bring you to the wedding in January!”

Kit still feels very much so out of the loop.

“THey’d probably want you to spend Christmas with us too, would that be alright with you? You guys don’t really celebrate right? Jem’s a Buddhist and you said Tessa is atheist right?”

“Ah… yeah?”

“Oh awesome! I’ll call her and tell her now!” Ty leaps out of his chair, gathers Kit in for a tight hug before scurrying off to a quieter corner of the union to chat with Livvy.

“Wait, what just happened?” is all Kit can manage out, blinking owlish in Ty’s wake.


	2. You Are Not An Escort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for the delay to everyone and anyone who's actually still reading, A LOT of personal shit went down in May and then I left abroad early june and everything's a bit mixed up but i'm focussed on this story and am having so much fun writing this!!!
> 
> This chapter is more than double the word count of the last so I hope that helps with my apology<3 
> 
> And also a huge thank you to [Saanvee](https://fangirling-is-an-art.tumblr.com) For cheerleading me to just fucking post it and get out of my own head freaking out about if it’s actually good or shit.

The holiday season is carried in with an array of knitted scarfs and ridiculously overplayed toons about the snow and cafes trading in their sweet teas for pumpkin spiced concoctions. As always, Ty finds it all a bit overwhelming. 

He stares mournfully through the wide partition of The Grind— his and Kit’s favorite off campus study spot that plays smooth jazz when asked, the only genre of music that Ty knows helps temper down Kit’s hyperactive thoughts to focus on actually revising, and where the baristas have already put to heart both their orders. It’s another miserably wet afternoon, and Ty’s more than a bit bothered. He knows its borderline unreasonable, but in his defense Ty’s a true blooded Californian, cut from the Pacific shores and shrouded in the dry, desert nights. He’s not accustomed to precipitation, especially not such heavy swaths of rain, the only sort that seems to pour here. Ty knows that it’s strange, but he prefers the heat, especially when it comes to Christmas.

He remembers the way the sun from outdoors would dance atop the tree decorations his mother picked out and that he and his siblings had helped garnish. He liked the green lawns contrasting against the bright lights of the houses on their street, liked how measured and well controlled the faux snow was when spread out to accent mall displays. Though that might be the brunt of it, Ty’s always hated feeling out of sorts, as if things were somehow beyond the limits of his carefully conceived plans. Precipitation— in all its immeasurable force and fickle proclivities, would never conform itself to what Ty would prefer. Suddenly flashes of Livvy’s dimpled chin and bright eyes— the same color and shape of his own but pouring with an energy that’s distinctly hers— flashes through Ty’s mind.

His sister, a force of nature all her own. Yet another thing that Ty could never completely predict or even attempt to stave off, at least not completely. But this, this plan might work, even for only a little while. 

He glances over to Kit, stiff lipped and furrow browed as he intently examines the photo album that Ty had pulled up on his phone, and feels an all too familiar and not entirely unpleasant seizing to his chest. He can’t believe that Kit is actually real, that somehow Ty’s made a friend all his own, someone who’d do something like this— in all its insanity— for him. Ty knows that he’s standoffish, can still feel Julian’s phantom hand smoothing out the crease between his brows with a near paternal cluck of the tongue. Ty also relents that he’s stubborn and insanely judicious when it comes to making friends outside his family— It’s never happened before. Ty’s always had Mark cheering him on for every little league game and Julian researching with him in all hours of the night for his history day exhibits. He had Helen to take silly pictures of him on her phone and Dru to stay up with on especially hard nights watching movies and waging food wars. But above all, Ty has always, always, had Livvy. Livvy who understands him without words and who’s always tugged him along to whatever adventure she wanted to embark. Livvy who makes Ty feel like he is knowable.

In the midst of all of that, Ty never understood the need to branch out and find people all his own— divorced from his lively family and apart from Livvy who’s always brought him into the folds of her own friendships at school. But the letter had come almost exactly two years ago, one that not only gave him a sizable grant for merely attending the university, but a practical promise to all it’s students that the department heads give free range for what the students want to research and all the resources they’d ever need. It would’ve been downright stupid of Ty to reject the offer to instead join Livvy in USC, and she had told him as much under no uncertain terms. So Ty packed up his things and flew on a two and a half hour plane ride to a place that practically rung out with the opportunity that Ty could actually find out who he’s suppose to be, absent from the expectations his siblings don’t realize they’re holding.

Ty can admit now that he was absolutely failing at the whole “finding himself” thing up until the fifth week of classes where for his intro communications course the professor made the midterm a project to submit an article they wrote about one of their seminars. He had been partnered up with the obnoxiously good looking blonde who sat three rows from the back, and who was always smirking in a way that made Ty think he was in on a joke he’d never tell the rest of the world. Ty use to think the joke was how effortless he made everything seem, all boyish charm and swept back blonde locks and big blue eyes splashed with honeycomb specs. He was quite literally the precise antithesis to the prosaic outlook and clipped words and destain for small talk that Ty embodied. Ty was sure he’d hate him.

But what Ty didn’t expect was the dry humor sprinkled with dad jokes Kit would always tell’m just to see if it’d make Ty laugh. He didn’t expect how Kit could speak the simplest of observations but make Ty feel like he’s experiencing a revelation. How Kit took the most beautiful photos in the world and would unironicly tell Ty that he’s his favorite subject. Ty didn’t expect to start depending on Kit— in all his steady gazes and open hands— in ways he’s only ever done for his siblings. 

Ty didn’t expect to be grateful for that day but what he really didn’t expect was to put it all in jeopardy by asking him to do this, but Ty’s desperate and Kit’s willing and Livvy’s out for blood ever since she found out Ty hasn’t gone out with one single person all Freshman year. Ty’d like to pretend it’s because his time was filled up between his studies and his role as a reporter for the school’s Sentinel, and spending practically every night with Kit, whether it’s revising or hanging out at the union or Kit trying to take Ty to a party he’s been invited too— which nearly always ended up with them attending for about ten minutes and then getting the fuck out to eat ice cream and play cards by the lake while smoking a blunt, but still it’s the effort that counts. Ty’d like to say that but he knows that Kit’s gone out on like countless dates with countless admirers, so honestly Ty has no excuse besides the fact he’s a waspish prick to most people. But Kit’s always given back what Ty oles out, it’s why they’ve gotten on so well and why he’s the only tru friend Ty’s made at university. And the reason why Livvy will totally buy that they’re in a relationship…. Well erm, most likely buy it. A solid chance, six out of ten. 

Heavens fucking angels this’s gonna be a disaster.

“Can I be done now,” Kit’s voice, all exasperation and exhaustion, jolts Ty back into the present, waggling around the phone like he’s giddy to be rid of it. “I know your family members and the other important people. But I swear to God if I keep staring at it Imma have an aneurism.”

Ty roles his eyes but plucks it out of his hands all the same. “You’re a drama queen.”

“And you need my fabulous acting skills so I’d cool it with the snide remarks,” Kit counters coolly, to which Ty replies by tossing him the bird. Kit’s nose wrinkles in that distinct way that tells Ty he’s really trying not to laugh but he’s privately amused.

“Alright, you ready for trivia time?”

“Kinky.”

Ty doesn’t dignify that with a response, just picks up his color coordinated index cards and begins.

“Dru’s favorite film?”

Kit roles back his entire head, as if eyes alone weren’t enough to get across his annoyance. “She says Psycho cuz of the artistry, but it’s really anything horror, even trashy Netflix originals or Nic Cage screaming about a bunch of bees.”

“Good, now where does Helen work?”

“Resident at UCLA medical.”

“Julian’s middle name?”

“Why would I care about his middle name even if we were dating?”

“Because I told you to care about it.”

“That’s kinda demanding, I don’t know if I like that tone from my boyfriend.”

“Good thing I’m not, your boyfriend I mean.”

“Are you breaking up with me right now?” Kit mock sobs, hand fisted against his chest and pretty pale eyes widened for ultimate effect.

“You’re too much.”

“Is that why you’re breaking up with me? Because baby I can change!”

Ty can only shake his head, caustic. 

“A fucking disaster.” He tosses aside the note cards in lieu of the contract he’d spent all night typing out, hands a copy to Kit with a pen.

“What’s this?”

“The blueprints for a time machine so I can prevent us from ever having met,” Ty says in a deadpan.

“You’re humor leaves something to be desired Tiberius,” Kit says shortly, flips through the pages of the packet and doesn’t even notice the pair of girls checking him out while one of the Baristas, Chip, hands him a hot chocolate on the house. Ty can at least feel vindicated in the fact that he was right, everything comes effortlessly to Kit, even if he just so happens to be a tolerable person along with it.

“It’s our contract.”

“Contract?” Kit repeats, obviously not grasping it.

“For the arrangement.”

“I’m sorry did I suddenly become an escort? Because if so I know exactly where I wanna go to tell’m they made a big mistake.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“It’s to fucking Wendle’s who thought my laptop only needed to be restarted, as if I didn’t fucking try that already.”

“You are not an escort and you’re not getting a Pretty Woman moment.”

“They thought I was a dumb blonde!”

“You are a dumb blonde!”

Kit cuffs him on the back of the head, hard.

“Now I’m breaking up with you.”

“I don’t know how my heart will go on.”

“You made a Celine reference!” Kit crows, totally elated. “I knew you loved Titanic! You’re not a hopeless, unemotional soul!”

Ty opts to ignore him and just gives a quick rapping against the paper instead.

“Contract. Rules. Important.”

“Oh fine spoil sport,” Kit sighs, slumping back in boredom. “Now what’s this about?”

“Guidelines for the wedding, you know… Because of— You know.”

“Because I’m pretending to be your long term boyfriend to all your nearest and dearest?” Kit finishes with a shit eating grin. The bastard.

“Yes,” Ty bites out through clenched teeth. “Now read it, and I mean all the clauses Kit! No half assing this, consent is important.”

“Which after school special did you jump out of?” Kit goads, one dark brow kinked. 

“The one that teaches you how to murder a man only using a toothbrush.”

“Is it bad if I’m slightly aroused.”

“Read the dan contract!”

“Oh, right,” Kit gives him a thumbs up before actually beginning to do as Ty asked.

“This all seems pretty obvious,” Kit shrugs. “No kissing on the lips— duh. I don’t even know what you mean by inappropriate touching? Like what you planning to grab my dick in front of your fam if I didn’t agree to this? And the bed sharing thing, as if we haven’t slept in the same twin size a hundred times after getting too wasted? Waking up to your knotty ass elbow in my face every morning.”

“My elbow is not knotty you prick.”

“You’re a pile of skin and bones Tiberius.”

“I’m lithe!”

“You’re skinny.”

“Lithe! That means lightly muscled, and not a meathead jock like the company I somehow keep.”

“I don’t get why you won’t come to the gym with me. Just for some reps.”

“You sound like a douche.”

“That’s hurtful, but not an answer to the above question.”

“I like to run, and you burn more fat running outdoors over a treadmill.”

“Don’t you hate that you’re missing out on getting to see my beautiful mug for those couple hours?”

“My not seeing you for any span of time usually lands on the pro side of things,” Ty blinks, faux owlish.

“You Tiberius are a lying liar who lies.”

Ty laughs, uninhibited, and he can’t help but think that he loves this, them sparring over the most mundane things. He loves how Kit’s probably the only person he knows who can volley back what Ty throws with sharp words that keep him on his toes and a quick wit that Ty sometimes envies. Kit always says it’s because of his being brought up by Britts for parents, (“dry banter is the national anthem across the pond,”) but Ty thinks Kit never gives himself enough credit. Ty also thinks if he were to bring back a girl or boy home in any realness, he’d want them to have Kit’s humor. 

“Alright wise guy, you obviously don’t like my contract, what’s your bright idea?”

Kit shrugs, blasé.

“Neither of us are idiots, and it’s not as if we’re complete strangers or some shit. We know each others limits, and just incase we don’t we can have a signal to tell the other that we’re not comfortable with what’s going down. One that’s just between us.”

Ty furrows his brows, considering him.

“That’s actually not an awful idea.”

“I’m actually not a total dumbass.”

“Well not completely I suppose,” Ty smiles softly at him and Kit returns it in earnest, the tops of his cheeks flushing prettily.

“I think our code name should be you calling me a sex god.”

“And like that you prove your idiocy knows no bounds.”

 

.-

 

Growing up, Kit’s never had many things, not like the other kids on the block. His mother took seriously the mantra that to fill ones life with items they didn’t truly need, would too fill their auras with clutter. Besides, it’s not as if his hairdresser ma and thug— in jail one day and out the next— father had the means to buy Kit any of the new Nerf guns or hot wheels toys his classmates would bring to show and tell for the explicit opportunity to brag about in front of an audience. Kit supposes the fact he never had much to clean up as a kid is what lead to his keeping a well organized room in his adulthood. Which is the exact opposite to his roommate.

Chad’s the corner back to their team and a nice enough guy, but fucking hell is the dude a slob. If Kit was ever made privy to the fact he left half eaten pizzas out to mold for days on end, and massed a pile of dirty underwear in his closet till he quite literally ran out, he would’ve never agreed to board with him last semester. But alas, he wasn’t, and their room subsequently has been permanently stained with the stench of sweaty boy and rotting food, mixed in with horrors Kit would rather not think about.

Though thankfully, he’s rarely ever in here. Kit spends more nights than not flung out on Ty’s lumpy futon in his dank as hell campus apartment that he shares with three other boys that always keep to themselves. Sometimes Kit’s studying, other times they’re having intense conversations about things like a possible future being run by AI, and occasionally Kit lies there while putting to heart the way the moonlight traces down the slope of Ty’s roman nose and how it caresses the gentle curve to his cheeks and the pretty lines to his thin lips.

Oh, ah, it’s normal that Kit has those sorts of thoughts. He can appreciate another’s beauty without having some sort of existential crisis about it. He thinks Ty is beautiful, in a quiet, reserved sort of way, and that’s fine. He’s not like attracted to him, not like that. Ty’s his best mate, that’s all. That’s fine. It’s all Kit is looking for and all Ty would ever want. 

There’s nothing else to it and that’s that.

With a physical shake to his head, Kit pulls out his laptop from his satchel and opens up Skype, waits till that familiar icon comes online, which takes approximately ten seconds from when he started to watch. Their family has always been painstakingly punctual.

“Hey sweetheart,” Tessa’s open face, all big eyes and warm smiles, is the first thing he catches on once they answer. Baby Nia tugging on her braid is the second. And Jem, as poised and calm as always, taking a seat besides them, is the third.

“Hey you guys,” Kit sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, silently questions if it ever hurts them that he’s never called them mom or dad. Wonders if he can ever make it up to them for how he’ll never really be able to let go of his past even though he’s so endlessly grateful for all they’ve given him.

“How are you my boy,” Jem smiles in that serene way of his, picks up Nia from Tessa’s arms and kisses the top of her dark head.

“Exams went fine,” Kit averts his gaze, silently curses the fact he’s no where near as smart as them, with Tessa and her literature and Jem and his instruments. Nia’s might only be a baby but she’s already showing signs that she’s adopted both their geniuses and then some. All the while Kit’s only the meathead jock.

“Wonderful love,” Tessa says with such utter sincerity that it kind of aches. “And how’s coach Keller?”

“Still riding me, but it’s fine. I can handle it.”

“If he gets too demanding you let us know,” Jem says in that way of his where it sounds both like a question and a demand. Tessa says it’s how he trained Will not to get in too much trouble when they were being brought up. If there’s anything Kit’s learned in the over a decade he’s lived with them it’s never to bring up Will, or else Tessa’s eyes will get glassy and Jem will become so out of sorts that he’ll sequester himself into his study days on end without any sign that he’s even alive in their. 

Kit’s seeing pictures of him, a man— not really, more of a boy still. He was all messy locks of ebony hair and a strong jaw that could’ve probably cut limber and dark eyes he remembers seeing in his mother’s favorite films, like Liz Taylor. He was obscenely handsome and shone like a star even through pictures and was obviously so thoroughly loved that it makes Kit dizzy with the intensity. He wonders if he could ever inspire that same sort of loyalty, knows for a fact it’s how Ty feels for all his siblings, even if he’s scheming against them.

As if she had read his mind, Tessa interrupts his thoughts with a downturned mouth.

“You still heading off to Ty’s house for the break, no?”

“Yeah, yeah that’s the plan,” Kit nods, a new wave of guilt washing over him. “You guys still okay with that?”

“We still get you for the final two weeks, as long as that doesn’t change.” Jem nips on the skin behind his hand, as if he’s unsure how to bring up his next point. “Me and your mother— Erm, me and Tessa I mean… We were just curious if you truly thought this through?”

“Thought what through?”

“The pretending to b Ty’s boyfriend dear,” Tessa explains, always far more straightforward than Jem or Kit combined. “Is it a smart idea?”

“He’s my friend and he needs the help,” Kit tells them, near indignant.

“Yes my boy, but you know, what with the feelings you harbor. I know that you want to be a good friend to Tiberius but perhaps you should take caution for yourself also? If it’s too hard we’d be happy to be your scapegoats to leave early and fly back to Pensilvania sooner than planned.”

“The feelings I harbor?” Kit asks, furrow browed and stomach doing summersaults with dread and anticipation at what he’s alluding to. 

Both wide eyed, Tessa and Jem exchange a look, having an entire conversation in silence. God Kit hates how they can do that.

“I need to pack,” says Kit, giving them an out to clip this conversation short.

“Alright dear, but Jem’s point still holds. You can always use us as an excuse if you want to leave earlier than planned.”

“I won’t need to,” Kit sourly argues.

“Just an offer then,” Jem reasons. “One to keep in the back of your head.”

“Fine,” Kit relents. “Can I go now?”

“We love you Kit,” Tessa tells him, sincere.

“Love you guys more.”

“Text us when your flight leaves, and call us tomorrow night so we know you landed safely,” Jem instructs.

“And give Tiberius and his family our best.”

“Byebye,” Nia tacks on just because everyone else was talking.

“Okay, okay. Yes to all the above,” Kit tries to smile through the utter embarrassment. “Byebye Nia.”

He shuts down the program and stares off into the distance, tries to will himself to forget the way they had leaped right above suggest and blatantly brought up Kit’s not so secretly, secretly fostered feelings for Ty, his best friend who he’s about to spend over two weeks pretending to be madly in love with for the sake of his overly involved family. And while Ty will be perfectly fine because this’s all make believe, Kit’s own parents predicted that this’s gonna be a dumpster fire.

God help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so so much for reading! I really hope this was enjoyable<3 It would mean the moon and stars to me if you left a comment below letting me know what you thought!!!
> 
> Also I’m looking for a Beta to help me edit and bounce ideas off of, so if anyone’s down?
> 
> Come chat with me on [Tumblr](https://CrooningBanshee.tumblr.com) !!!
> 
> With love  
> ~Len

**Author's Note:**

> I've always had such a soft spot for these two.
> 
> It would mean the moon and stars to me if you left a comment letting me know what you thought of this first chapter<3  
> Thank you so much and hope to hear from you soon!  
> All My Love  
> ~Len


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